Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-30
An Excellent Letter ON ToDsee"s
Taxes and T0bace0-Cuitures
n.rvrrrr Va Ian yJ. 1881.

not be used, and the disease will remain
incurred. Professor Puryear argues
that the tax of eight cents per pound on
all tobacco manufactured for domestic
use is the chief cause of the present
low price of leaf tobacco, and that the
removal of it would at once release the
farmer from his present distressing con
dition.
There are several very good reasons
for removing this tax, and 1 am hearth
ly in favor of its removal. 1t Is con-
trary to our wise and beneficial system
of internal free trade, which has done
80 much to enrich thu country. 1t IS
unfair and oppressive to small manu-
facturers; but. more than all, as long
as the tax remains there will be aSlta-
ton for its removal.
As Congress sits during winter and
spring this agitation always comes, with
its depressing effects, just when the
farmer is selling his crop.
BY all means let the tax be removed
and as speedily as possible, but don't
delude the farmer into believing that
this tax is the only or even the chief
cause of the prevailing low prices. II
the tax were the chief cause of low
prices, then it would follow that the
higher the tax the lower the price Of
leaf. But we know that the price of
tobacco was higher before the last re-
duction of the tax than it is now.
Now, as to the general low price OF to-
bacco | think the cause OF 1t can be
plainly shown to be over-production.
Several years ago Burley tobacco sold at
such price that the production OF il
was very profitable, and from year TO
year the area of its culture was vastly
increased. Its price was correspond
ingly lowered. In addition 10 this the
great decline in prices of agricultural
products which we have seen Il few
years back affected other staples, such
as corn, wheat, and pork, before it az
fected tobacco. This also had the eff
feet in the West of extending
the cultivation of tobacco, and led
to still further decline in prices
The immense crops of the West, anu
consequent low prices, necessarily af-
fected prices in Virginia. Now, | sup
pose Professor Puryear had in mind
mainly the farmers of Virginia, who
raise what is commonly called ship
ping tobacco. Any one would suppose
from his article that every pound OF
leaf tobacco raised in Virginia paid
tax OF eight cents, while the fact is that
little or none of the tobacco raised in
Southside Virginia dark tobGcco) pays
the tax. Almost all of it, either as leaf
or manufactured, is exported, and pays
no tax. Ehe fact is
THE DOMESTIC MAyUFACTUREE
does not want this tobacco at any price
It does not suit the domestic taste The
trade in it IS almost confined to q few
men holding foreign contracts and d
few manufacturers who export all OF
their products. Virginia farmers have
suffered greatly from no domestic de
mand for THEN tobacco. The foreign
contractor seemed to take the tobacco
at his own price, and yet the largest
buyer OF Virginia shipping tobacco in
Richmond has been veil-nigh ruined
by the decline in prices. The truth IS,
the Virginia farmer raises what only
few people want, and these few do
not want all that is raised. While
this is the case, why expect relief
from the removal OF the tax? The com
petition Of western wheat and corn has
been just as hard on our grain-farmers
as the competition of western tobacco
is on our tobacco-farmers 1t is well 10
that the extension OF tobacco
culture in Virginia in former years
ruined the business in the old tidewater
counties. Still the people OF those
counties are to-day about as wei of as
the tobacco-raisers. They certainly live
more comfortably. i
1t may be said that although tobacco
which is exported pays no tax, yet the
removal of the tax will improve the
price Of western tobacco and indirectly
improve the price of that which is ex-
ported The price of western leaf can
only he improved by largely increased
domestic consumption. VIII the re-
mOval of the tax cause this increase ?
| think not. The consumption OF to-
bacco per cdpitI in the United States
is much greater than it WAS before the
tax was imposed. The increased com
mercial facilities of the country and the
practice Of drumming have
wonderfully increased the consumption
Of tobacco. The sale OF manufactured |
tobacco is more pressed to-day than it !
ever has been. Most users Of tobacco |
buy five or ten cents worth at a time.
Now, even il the consumers got the |
full benefit OF the reduction. tine in !
crease i'll the size OF his five OF tcn-cent I
piece would hardly be appreciable. 1t |
IS certain that present prices OF manu- |
'actured tobacco do not curtail the use /
IF it. Therefore slight lowering Of /
he price would have little effect il IL |
,reasing il.
WHAT OUGHT FARMERS 70 Do
n the distressing circumstances in
which they are placed? They certain
v ought not TO go on raising tobacco
70 long as it does not pay the cost Of
Is production.
Nothing but dire necessity will ever
induce the farmers OF SoulhSide Viz
ginia to stop raising tobacco. II was
hat which stopped its culture in the
idewater counties The great ques-
ion is what to substitute in the place
# shipping-tobacco. There can DE no
general answer to this question, and it
5 hard to answer even in special locah-
les and circumstances | know Of some
armers in Lunenburg and Prince Ed
ward who have succeeded in substi-
uting bright tobacco for shipping-to-
)acco. This can be done where the soil
S suitable. Some have failed in their
,fforts, even where the soil is suitable,
rom unskilful management.
Mr.. John Washington, of Caroline
had good success in substitu-
ing Irish potatoes for tobacco. Farmers
n the vicinity of Charlottesville and
iordonsville have succeeded in raising
ruit crops for market. In former years
have seen the grain farmer and the to-
,acco-farmer side by side in Spotsylva-
ia and Caroline, one about 'as prospe-
ous as the other. There are counties
n Eastern Virginia which raise no to-
,acco, and the people seem fully as
prosperous and comfortable as in those
.hich make it a specially. The coun-